Portable Ham Radio Go-Box | Build and Walk-through

This is the complete walk-through of my recent amateur radio "go box" build. Taking inspiration from dozens of other ham radio and prepping enthusiasts, I designed and built this handy all-in-one communications center and charging station that can be easily transported and deployed anywhere. Featuring a dual-band radio, I can communicate over the 2m and 70cm bands.
For the full parts list and to download the CAD design files for the 3D printed parts and instrument panel, visit this page:
www.greatlakesprepping.com/pr...

[@toenailjunebug5620]

I’m not even into HAM radio, but that box is VERY impressive, especially for a first attempt. I admire your skill.

[@winstonsmiths2449]

Obsessive compulsive over-kill LOL, but great work. Good looking build, the best of DIY I have seen on you tube that did not cost $300 just for the case. My parts list: 1. Mounting plate/cover: $8 whiteboard-blackboard 2'x4' from Home Depot. You choose which side to use, the white or black side. Very sturdy, cuts and drills clean with tape and patience. The white actually looks very clean and lets you see things easier in the dark. It is a whiteboard so easy to remove smudges/dirt. 2. Storage box: plastic rectangle planter, small. Has edges to attach it to the mounting cover. Many sizes and colors available. 3. Support for mounting cover: 4 1/2" bolts using nylon locking nuts with washers adjusted to needed height for cover. Used acorn nuts to secure the cover. No sharp edges from wing nuts. 4. Laser replacement: spade and step bits. The switch mounting plates cover any imperfections. 5. Box: Apache 3800. Small is good but functionality over form.. Not as water/dust proof but the Apache cases are much less costly. The 2800 to 4800 cases will allow for larger battery, more storage, and more devices such as solar charge controller if desired. I have storage for goose neck light which has 3-levels of white light brightness and also one level of red light, two charging cables, USB Led lights, cigarette adapter for powering/charging devices that use that time of plug, such as my 300w Giandel power inverter I know you and others know about size of cases, just thought I would mention them.

[@knoxlogic82]

I have been looking at building one myself for a while now. I can't think you enough. Probably one of the best most informative videos I have seen for this. Good Job!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Billy, I'm glad my video was helpful.

[@eltonnoway5692]

Hats off to you sir. You are a man after my own heart... a true perfectionist! I suffer from the same illness. Yes its a cross to bear but I always enjoy the challenges it presents.

[@tysonl1908]

agreed

[@heretikpapy]

Nice build and inspiration to do something like this in DYI. Really big thank you mister. Especially for the PRO and CONS at the end. Very practical to have it directly from you before starting our own. Stay Safe! Cheers from Montréal!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thank you, Benoit. I appreciate your comment.

[@917Stefano]

Well done! Definitely very professional looking.

[@Mojave511]

Well thought out! Very good problem solving and design. 👍

[@primalucephoto]

Well done! Nice clean build

[@terryshackelford712]

That is a great little box! Thanks for sharing!

[@michiganmikeupnorth]

Very nice build.

[@coleporter20]

I'm new to Ham, but big on mobility an this would be awesome to add to my rig. Thanks for the details!

[@gregorystearman1159]

I really like the design and the honest walkthrough of how you made the decisions and what you would do differently in the next version. I have the same radio and a Miady LiFePo4 battery, so I am really excited to think about a build of my own from the solid work you have done here. I really liked the speaker with fan grill which gives it a nice look and lets you hear the radio with noise outside. If you wanted some more airflow through the box, you might be able to mount a fan on the side of the storage bin and put a few skinny slots on it to suck in some fresh air and use your existing holes on the panel for exhaust. You probably need a smaller battery to fit the fan inside the box so it doesn't reduce the space in the bin. Thanks for sharing the parts list and CAD files. Well done!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Gregory, I'm glad you found it all helpful.

[@Outandaboutwithpoggy]

UK Ham licensed for last 23 years and a few weeks ago I bought a Baofeng, cracking radios, Mike G7 POG

[@rjwade00]

Love the design and your approach to building it. Thanks for the walk through and job well done!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Bobby!

[@W0CES]

Looks great! Also you might look at a some self adhesive carbon fiber or some other material to put on the plate. It would look nice and hide your scratches that you are worried about that I don't think anyone else notices.

[@hemitj]

Nice box! Great build

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks!

[@SheepDog229]

Fantastic work! Very impressive!

[@DaninVirginia]

Nice build!

[@wfwtheradioguy3414]

Nice work!! That's a very clean install.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks!

[@wfwtheradioguy3414]

@@GreatLakesPrepping I'm getting ready to build a "go box" for a Xiegu G90. I have a 3D printer so I can print my own parts. Your video has been very helpful. Thanks for sharing. 73

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

@@wfwtheradioguy3414 That's awesome. If I wish I had that capability at home. I would get one, but for the life of me I can't figure out CAD design.

[@rickmaudlin2160]

One of the nicest boxes I've seen, Great Job !! Powder coating would be a durable finish option for your aluminum. It is also expensive to do for a small piece but if you have time to wait for the powder coating company to do yours at the same time as someone else's larger job (of the same/color and finish) it may only cost you $20. I will definitely refer back to your video and links as I hope to do a similar build soon. I am contemplating doing two cases the same size, one case for the radio and/or repeater and a second case for a larger battery with charger and power jacks. Again, congratulations on a job well done and very informative video !

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Rick! A separate case for the power sure would have given me more wiggle room to work with.

[@Tom-jd1rm]

From a retired IT instructor you did a great job. A plus I will be using this design in a project. KF0MOE 73

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Tom!

[@BirdieMac]

I’m extremely impressed with this.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Jason!

[@jd.coleman]

Very nice my friend. Hat's off to you.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thank you, Jack

[@JA-fy1bn]

Man! Nicest one I've ever seen and I watched a lot of those same videos. Must be nice to have friends that can do that artwork for you. Finally, should you build a second one, take a look at the QYT KT-WP12... Very compact and all of the controls, display and speaker are in the microphone. Take the battery down to 7 amp and you could build it all in a much smaller box. Great job!

[@josem.4312]

Beautiful build! Thanks for sharing the process!

[@terryshackelford712]

Nice project!

[@stevecraig3004]

Nice job! Lotta good ideas here.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Steve

[@dougbender1195]

Wow super project and very well thought out!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thank you Doug

[@Linxfinity]

Great Job. Looks very cool. 73 from Düsseldorf

[@RoadRage810]

I am working on planning out a UHF/VHF go box with battery. But first on my list is a portable box for my Icom 7300 and 2300 (soon to be replaced with a 4100) without having to sell my soul. On a side note, I have an Anytone 778 and it has taken a beating and still going strong. It had gear dropped on it and it actually broke the plastic face surround in 3 places and dented the case. Glued the face back together and it still works like new.....even though it looks like hell.

[@billloveless6869]

Very good video. While I won't be making a go box, I like the video.

[@Ron-xn4wf]

Good job ! Well though out .

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thank you Ron

[@victorm.387]

Thanks For sharing. Hope it serves its purpose. Cheers

[@MrBuddyLuv]

Very clever ! Well done sir.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Buddy!

[@Baumeister40]

This is one of the nicest boxes I've seen and I will surely use it as my spring point to build my own. Just a few suggestions. If your plastic top plate was sagging you could have glued on the bottom of it a set of stiffeners running both directions. Need to find out what the best glue is for that type of plastic. You could make it out of the same plastic as the top plate, maybe 1/2 an inch deep. As for the battery I think the bane of your existence was that metal shelf you got somewhere else. Toss that out. Just put the battery right on the bottom of your Box. Cut up some foam pool noodle and strap it to the corners with zip ties. As for fasteners through the outside of the box there's no shame in that and it can stay relatively water tight by putting a dab of silicone caulk in the hole and under the head of the bolt or screw. But you won't need that at all if you do away with the battery shelf. See if you can get a LiFePO4 battery rather than Lead Acid. It will hold a steady 12v charge till drained completely and can be recharged hundreds if not thousands of times. A lead battery will only maintain 12 V till it's 50% depleted. Plus it's 3 times as heavy!

[@ricktrent275]

I think you did a pretty outstanding job on it, I'd buy it, depending on cost. I don't have the patience to do that good a presentation.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Rick. It was definitely a little over-the-top. Sometimes I don't realize how deep I've gone into a project until I look back later!

[@annoying.solicitations8319]

. Excellent build & dedication I'm at the hand held phase so really do appreciate your project Looking good ...

[@Camz316]

Very well done! I laughed out loud hard when you complained about that blue light and sunglasses!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Ha, thanks Camz. Sometimes I get a little fixated on small things!

[@Lee784447]

I think you did a fantastic job! The first iteration is seldom perfect! Don’t worry about the scratches they give it character! Again fantastic job!

[@Hanesy]

that was a lot of fun!!

[@561candyman]

Thanks I’m going to try this

[@mr.e5988]

Great job man!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks William!

[@rs4425]

Thorough review.. thanks!

[@MrStanwyck]

Nice job with your radio go box. Thanks for sharing it.

[@jamesmk2003]

Put back an old big blue switch. All you need is to put some resistor in to lower the voltage to a blue led. Use potenciometer for testing.

[@ronleblanc9832]

Really nice..i had built something out of coper pipe frame and still dont like thinking of mounting everything in a bigger box..thinking of a dewalt case and i think i will wont look good as yours im sure dont have the resorses as you had ve1 bhm

[@jay-rus4437]

Couple things....first, great job. Second, as an over analyzer with very real OCD, I can relate to the wiring comments about fixating on such things. Ive lived my whole like that. Just as you, I do in fact recognize that the effort, or cost, or even time is not likely worth some small issue that I just cant seem to ignore, so I usually end up making the correction anyway, Third....that small power switch is only rated for 15 amps, so you might consider looking into a “master” switch that can more than carry the potential load of the radio, amp meter, and whatever might be connected to the usb or powerpoles. Just my .02, and its only worth half of that 😁

[@tysonl1908]

I definitely felt it was comforting in a sense, I was diagnosed young, but honestly, as someone with OCD, I'm a smidge proud to say that this is the type of results it can yield. That extreme persistence to accomplish despite having already achieved something is what creates even greater. Knowing better can be done is what fosters such a degree of excellence. The stress, dread, and immense weight to carry pays off occasionally and helps make it all worth it.

[@joemullen9726]

Great video. If I might suggest. Take the panel to a firearms place that does cerakoting. Might be a lot cheaper. Or you could LineX coat it and it would be super tough. I like your process and it's very easy to follow. Thanks!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Joe. If I make another one of these, I'm definitely going to look into cerakoting.

[@brentjohnson6654]

New sub here. Well described and good job!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Brent!

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

Nice work! I completely sympathize with your desire for perfection, however unattainable.

[@KarlsLabReport]

Very nice build despite the issues you mentioned!!! I need to do something for my ICOM 7200 - I’ve been mulling over this for some time. When I out shopping anywhere they have those boxes you mention, I always look to see if there is anything for my radio. Haven’t found anything suitable yet. Also don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a storage/carrying box for the radio.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thank you Karis. Yea it's kind of crazy how expensive some of the storage/case solutions are.

[@dougdunlap5889]

great job

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thank you Doug

[@bugs825]

Very nice! I like keeping the integrity of the box and not drilling 15 holes through the sides like other designs. Has anyone found a storage solution like this for wires? Or even the technical name for it? I can't find one and don't have the ability to make my own....yet.

[@thuff3207]

Yes its very nice. Thanks

[@LiveFree-pk8ej]

Good job. It seems all us hams have a go box.

[@garylanders1470]

Well done 🤙

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thank you Gary

[@9w6hry44]

very nice and i like it..

[@samc921]

This looks awesome! Great work.

[@virginiasolomon9352]

Yep, it will fail eventually from squishing those wires down. I did the same thing using a standard battery box. I made a go box out of it for camping and I had the wires from the outlets squished ever so slightly to get the top on and they eventually shorted out and melted one by one. The problem are the outlets themselves. They aren't very sturdy and the prongs will eventually bend to the point of becoming damaged or in such a way that the wires detached. Luckily, I smelled the wires melting for each failure and was able to avoid a fire.

[@michaelmatthews7713]

Outstanding job. Stay safe and stay healthy. AD8DU

[@davidhefner5668]

I'm building a box for my boat. Will contain marine radio, fish finder and breaker switch panel for boats electrical system. Everything plugs in therefor can be removed for winter.

[@averagejoe6040]

Really nice job! One of the best I've seen. 73 George - W8DTN

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thank you, I appreciate it!

[@loachoh6a]

Outstanding work my friend. I have 30 years in the aluminum extrusion business. Here’s another alternative to a real good finish that way cheaper than anodize. You may already have thought of it. I would consider farming out painting the aluminum faceplate using POWDER COAT PAINT. Lots of companies can work it into their lines inexpensively you. I’ve been retired for 20 years now so I don’t know who to recommend. Sorry.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Wesley. I think if I do something like this again, I will try to find a powder coat place. I do like that idea.

[@ejbeekeeper4360]

Nice build. Did you test the range with that antenna?

[@AI5HV]

I really like your video and design. I am interested in the files that you used to design the faceplate. It is funny as soon as I aw the faceplate I told my wife, I can use our Glowforge to cut it. We both laughed when you mentioned in your video you had your friend with the Glowforge cut it for you.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Greg! Yea the glowforge did a great job cutting the acrylic. Was just a tad bit too flexible for my liking, but it did a great job anyhow. Check out the video description for a link where you can download the faceplate design and see everything else I used for this build.

[@JnJTrueOutdoorAdventures]

Great video!! I actually saw a photo of my go-box!! It is great to see how everyone sets up their own boxes, that is where we get ideas! 73 - Juddie - WD8WV

[@PepeDeezNutz]

Looks cool

[@tabdaltoncreative]

Just the info I needed! I’m running the same radio in my car but will eventually turn it it into a go-box style rig. Thanks for the info! KE8VKU

[@Fairbanks1993]

I'm wanting to build something similar, but I don't have much electrical experience. I'm lost on how to wire in the voltmeter, power pole connector, switch, ect. I can't find a wiring diagram for a go box like this anywhere online. Do you know any resources that could help me with this?

[@kennymoe362]

bed-liner paint its tough and it looks good.

[@BlackBearOutdoors]

Looks like a great build. I built one myself but it seems I am getting quite an RF "buzz" in the background when I transmit. Any way to get around that?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

I'm not quite sure, as I haven't had that problem. Is there any loose connections, or any power/battery wires touching the antenna wire that could cause some sort of interference?

[@inmatruckyo1400]

@10:15 Dork Speaker - haha Very Nice Job! Maybe you can glue the original lid foam back in... that would keep you antenna, microphone and power cord from shifting and scratching your paint.

[@PA_Prepper]

Very cool - thanks for sharing. Looks AMAZING - make any contacts yet ? Battery idea for you, I've been watching Miady LiFePo4 on Amazon, great price point at $30 for a 6 AH one and it is lighter and smaller than your sealed lead acid in the box today. They had a 12 AH one for like $45 but it has disappeared. Any way - great job on that one box. 73 PAp

[@joewood9307]

Might be a good idea to see if you can fit a handheld radio in the box aswell to give to someone if you split up, or just as a backup

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Good idea, but there's no way it would fit the way this thing is set up.

[@rickw4160]

Very nice build, but what advantage does this box offer over a HT? Sure, it can have a lot more power to transmit, but wouldn't the antenna be a greater set back?

[@williamjackson5262]

Amazing build! An idea to maybe get you some more space with the lid. If you designed the next face recessed into the box about 5/8” with a lip around the edge to attach to the box and changed to the 7Ah like you were thinking about. do you think that would help with the lid/space issue? Again, amazing build and gave me some inspiration for my own!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

That's a cool idea. I've thought about something similar, but I'm sure it would require the whole face to be 3D printed (rather than just laser-cut out of a flat material).

[@trishfranklin6582]

I like the plain aluminum better than the black paint. cleaner and added contrast.

[@phtevenmolz5030]

If you were tight on space, why not make a custom pack from 18650s? They have much better energy density than a SLAB. You could also do something like purchase batteries for power tools so you can have multiples that can be swapped easily for charging. 2Ah, 4Ah, 6Ah, 9Ah, and 12Ah can all be found easily in 12V packs.

[@nickm9102]

You mentioned the clearance for the mic in the case does the mic fit in the cup for the charger? that may be an option and then have the mesh on the lid like you intended or even mount the charger to the lid and maybe velcro loops for cable management while stored.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

I really did want to do something like that, but it turned out that the lid was too "shallow". If the lid had an extra inch or even 1/2 inch of height, I think it all would have worked out.

[@edbouman5013]

I wouldn't change a thing in your box, you did a really nice job, you just have to sit back and not over think it! It looks great!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Ed, I appreciate it. It's definitely a challenge of mine to not overthink things!

[@edbouman5013]

@@GreatLakesPrepping You're more than welcome!

[@usarmyfl1]

The antenna says rated for 10 watts, just like all the other HT antennas, but I see a lot of these go-boxes using them with radios that push 25 watts. How well does it work? Thanks.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

My radio has adjustable wattage. I use it on lower power with the antenna seen in this video, but usually I use one of my larger antennae with the box.

[@garytedlock7533]

This is SWEET , Your rig is very organized and very good, but how do you keep your radio from getting hot, being it's all in closed,

[@DaninVirginia]

Hey was wondering if you feel as though this case would need a "station ground" to connect a bus bar inside case to bulkhead to ground stake??

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

I probably am not knowledgeable enough to answer this with any certainty, but I can't think of a reason it would be necessary unless I'm using the box outside during a storm and I am worried lightening might strike that short antenna.

[@VITORMANUELSilva]

VERY NICE TKS

[@Ocrepair]

Impressive

[@gfinnstrom]

excellent video well-done 73s KB7PPW

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thank you!

[@welersonfoxx1]

boa noite muito bom seu projeto adorei sou do brasil e quero uma kit desse ai ficou top

[@RookieLock]

Man, thanks for the inspiration! I have the same radio and I'm currently brainstorming on ideas for a go box. Looks like yours turned out great! Now that you've had it for a while, is there anything you would do different ?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Hey thanks! If I did it over again, I would use a smaller battery. Stuff is a bit too crammed in for my liking.

[@RevMark]

Wondering about the charging cord with the Anderson powerpoles. You plug that cord in the wall to charge the battery?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Hi Mark, yes that charger plugs into the wall to charge.

[@IowaHammer]

Hi, I am currently working on building a go box similar to this. I'm also new to HAM; question, how is it connected so it can charge? With the charger, can you run the radio while it's plugged into the wall or vehicle?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

The charger plugs into the PowerPole outlets in the control panel. All the charger does is charge the battery. So yes, you can certainly use the radio while charging - but the charger isn't really "powering" the radio. The battery powers the radio, so that means if your radio draws power faster than your charger can charge, you could still run out of juice. It's not super likely though, because I can run this radio for HOURS without charging. Also, the charger I show in this video is very small (so it can fit in the little compartment). If you have a larger 12v charger, it would charge the battery faster. I could have wired this differently to allow for the battery charger OR for direct power from some other source (like an external battery, vehicle, or power supply). But the way I did it, it requires the internal battery to have a charge.

[@IowaHammer]

@@GreatLakesPrepping Thanks for your reply! What kind of charger do you currently use? The battery that I purchased is an 8amp hour 12v battery. The only type charger that I have found thus far is a small trickle charger, not sure if it would be big enough to charge and run radio.. Also, I want to be able to run this off a car battery if needed. Would you know if you plug it in using the same power poles to the battery if it would overload the small battery inside the box? If you would like to send me an Email that would be awesome as well.. Thanks!

[@foxman362]

Wish make one theses fit all all my cb radios mobile rigs.

[@RemoteViewr1]

Ty

[@dereklee-wo9970]

For charging the lead acid battery, did you build your own charging circuit or are you using some sort of off-the-shelf charger?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

It's an off-the-shelf compact charger. You can see the one I'm using in the video at 12:43, if you're interested, and here is the link to the product: www.qsradio.com/shop-now.html#!/1-2A-12VDC-Wall-Charger-w-Powerpoles/p/58763603

[@smarmes5]

Anyway of getting the CAD info to have the custom pieces made/printed?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

You want the files to make the exact same pieces?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Hello Shaun, I updated the video description to include a link that goes to a page with a full parts list and downloadable CAD files.

[@vidcreator5276]

How much space on the one side did you lose with the rounded corner for the battery? 1/2", 3/4", what? Gerald KG0VA

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Going from memory, it's hard to say. Somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4".

[@notsure7874]

A lot of those mics are speaker mics - so you wouldn't need that speaker in there. Those little 25w units made for ATV's are sealed so the fan might be of marginal use anyway - and you still need an air intake for that - so idk. These little boxes always have some compromises and trade-offs, so it is what it is! Ideally you'd want an antenna you could toss up in a tree, or you still won't get really any more range than using an HT with a good antenna. Really nice job though - clean install, and if you use the low power that thing will go forEVER on a charge. Not really much reason to use more than 5w anyway unless you pair it with an antenna in a tree, then you want to overcome transmisson losses in the cable.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks for the feedback, Perry. Yea, my mic does have a speaker in it but it's not much good unless I hold it up to my ear like a phone. I like to just listen while doing work or whatever, and the little speaker I installed does the trick. I do have a wire antenna that I've tried (by hanging it from a tree) and I'm not convinced it did any better than the telescoping antenna. But, I also use the big antenna on my roof with this and that obviously works much better.

[@rickramirez7710]

Like it a lot. Do you have a list of all your components?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks. Yea check the video description. I have a link to everything I used.

[@HelenSab]

Impressive!! Wish you sold this

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thank you. I considered that idea when I started building it, but it ended up being more expensive than what I figure anyone would want to pay for one! I'd probably have to charge $1500 to make it worthwhile, and that seems pretty steep for a radio in a box.

[@calvinmeeks8882]

I know this is quite old, but where could I find information on wiring for a go-box like this? I’d like to set it up to have the option to connect to vehicle to charge/use vehicle power to run.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

I realize I didn't spend much time in this video going over the specific wiring process. It's a tricky thing to demonstrate in a video, especially since I'm not an expert. I basically sketched out a wiring diagram on paper, to make sure it all made sense before i started wiring. After this long, I'd probably have to take the thing apart and do it all again to remind myself how it all goes together. I will say that the powerpole outlets in it can accept all sorts of charging methods. I could use a 12v vehicle plug that has a powerpole connector on the other end of the cable, and that would plug right into this box.

[@jakewilson2203]

I hope your still replying to comments. What are the 4 powerpole connectors for. I assume 2 are for charging but what are the other 2 connected to? Anyway you can send me a wiring schematic?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Hello. Both sets of powerpole connectors are for charging. The little outlet came with 4, even though I only really needed 2. Sorry, I don't really have a wiring schematic for it.